Dear Editor,
Very interesting, the debate about the President and his ex-wife. I am convinced men and women are mentally on a different wavelength, just as how very bright people think in a different way from the average person. Men tend to be pragmatic; women are inclined to be sentimental, intuitive.
Many years ago, when a friend of mine mentioned to her young husband about the spat her colleague had with her fiance because he flirted with a neighbour, the husband told her that the chap “doesn’t know how to handle women.” ‘Handle’ women? How patronising.
Not so long ago a few of us (husbands and wives) sat relaxing, reminiscing about our youthful days in Guyana. The names of people we all knew were mentioned, one being a chap we nicknamed ‘Sly,’ who was a Lothario in his day. We women were transfixed when the men mentioned how Sly was stringing two girls along at the same time. He took the newly acquired one to a party and was chatting her up, when the older one unexpectedly turned up.
Sly had his back turned to the door and did not see her enter; his friends were facing the door and immediately − literally − closed ranks, to block the old girl’s view, until Sly had time to sort himself out. It was a huge joke to them and they roared with laughter about it. We women were not amused.
While on the subject, I am anxiously looking forward to seeing how Mr Obama settles in. Let us hope his wife adjusts to her new life as quickly and as enthusiastically as he seems to have done. Very tough times lie ahead.
I think, in marriage, aiming for a compromise is best − a matter of give and take. Just trying to see each other’s point of view and finding an ‘accommodation’ should be one solution.
Yours faithfully,
G Dennison
